Aurelia Shrinekeeper/Backstory
Aurelia Shrinekeeper, 'Auri' to non-clan, is relatively young minotaur that has been out in the world for long enough to get her legs under her, but not for long enough to really make a name or a place for herself. She's out traveling because her family, dating back for as long as most can remember, are the Keepers of the Shrine. They protect the sacred grounds where the Minotaur of her tribe go to commune with the Mother Bear, the Father Wolf, the Ever Vigilant Eagle, and the Great Elk of Migration. Given this, she's inherited her family's last name of Shrinekeeper. However, before she can take over her duties as the next Keeper of the shrine, she has to undergo a proving of sorts. Specifically, she has to beat her father in single-combat, given that he is the current Keeper and tradition dictates that one may not undertake the responsibility without besting the current champion. She's learned all she can of Minotaur ways of fighting, so now has set out into the world to learn new forms and tactics so that she can return in some undetermined amount of time and challenge him. It's not a fight to the death, but simply a single-combat fight to prove that she has learned what it takes to be the Keeper. Otherwise, another family will have the ability to Challenge, and hers will be stripped of the Shrinekeeper name that they've had for generations for someone else to take up the mantle. A dual objective for the proving is for her to learn as much as she can about the world around the tribe, about all the realms and peoples, so that she can help better cultivate good relationships with them. That's specifically the job of the tribe's matriarchal senate, but the shrine Keeper always has some hand in politics involving the village as well. She's also to learn as much about the combat tactics of other races and people as possible in the unfortunate event of war between any of them. The Minotaur don't necessarily seek or expect war, but they are always prepared for it. Other Notes Anyone in the family can challenge for the right to be Shrinekeeper at any time, this includes siblings and cousins, of which Aurelia has several. Only Aurelia, as the oldest offspring, has the consequence of secession. So if she tries and fails to fight for the right, then it will become available for anyone in the tribe to attempt. Her mother's name is Cassia and her father's name is Valens. She has three younger siblings, two girls and a boy. The girls are twins and are a few years younger than her, and the boy is only 14 years old. Her clan is a member of the Uthgardt Accord, named for Uthgar Herdbringer, the Minotaur who helmed the alliance. The Uthgardt Accord is one between several tribes and factions of Minotaurs, Centaurs, Bugbear, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, and some Tritons, Giants, and Druid Circles. The Accord is an alliance of various races and tribes that keep to the Old Ways and worship the Old Gods and Aspects that other more civilized groups have left behind. It's predominately Minotaurs, as they are the original members, but it's fairly wide-spread at this point and is easy enough to distinguish if you know what to look for. As a member of one of the leading tribes of the Uthgardt, Auri would be recognized and shown hospitality from others associated with it. Her specific tribe and peoples are called The Shimmering Expanse Clan, given that they live in the heart of a giant tundra ravine in the Northern reach of Friskal that seems to shimmer in the day when the sun catches the snow. It's difficult to find unless you know how to get to it, because one has to first navigate a steep path between the mountains. The view when you crest the top of the mountain and look down over the ravine is shimmery and breathtaking in the daylight.